DON’T DISTURB MY CIRCLES – Lower Canopy EP

Portuguese hardcore band Don’t Disturb My Circles released their debut EP in 2009. The EP didn’t receive a lot of overseas press, but nevertheless the band continued to work hard promoting their work on their home turf. By 2015, they’d had shared stages with thrash legends Sepultura and Obituary, Cancer Bats and Dillinger Escape Plan, a band with whom their 2018 EP shares a few parallels.

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SAM ALONE & THE GRAVEDIGGERS – Tougher Than Leather

sam aloneOn this 2016 release, among other things, Sam Alone sets out to recount tales of blue collar strife. Armed with a booming voice and a guitar he calls his “working class rifle”, the Portuguese performer could possibly be accused of trying just that little bit too hard to appeal to the working class listener. And with an obvious love of Springsteen, his sounds are familiar sounds enough, but does he – and his band The Gravediggers – have what it takes to make an impression, especially treading a path so many have stomped down before?

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